Air conditioning apparatus



Feb. 6, 1940. J. SCHURY AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed 001:. 3, 193

- INVENTOR, &4 56/711 M Z W TTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claim.

This invention relates to apparatus for conditionlng air by causing the same to pass through liquid sheets or curtains wherein dust particles carried by the air stream may be removed and in the structure here shown is part of the vacuum cleaning system wherein the dust laden air is picked up and passed through two successive air curtains or sprays produced from a body of water in the device. Subsequent to the air passing through the curtains, it is passed through two spaced fans with stationary bailles therebetween whereby the air stream is prevented from revolving and baflle members provided subsequent to its passage through the fan where the principal remaining moisture in the air is caused to discharge into the liquid body.

A feature of the invention is involved in the .provision of a rotating cone-shaped head which extends into the liquid body and by reason of its revolution causes a film of water to pass upwardly from the liquid body to discharge from the revolving element of the spray head, means being provided aboutthe revolving head preventing rotation of the liquid body.

These and other objects and novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and one of the possible structural forms embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is anelevation partly in section of a vacuum cleaning device embodying my in ention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of an alternative form of construction of the distributor.

In the embodiment of the invention here shown, there is provided an outer cup shaped receptacle I having a rim 2 and a central raised portion 3. Within the receptacle is a removable pan 4 having perforations 3 in the bottom wall thereof and a central aperture through which the portion 3 of the receptacle extends. On this portion 3 is a circular perforate shell 6 flanged at 1 to fit over the portion 3 and having a horizontal flange 8 which lies beneath the flange 9 provided about the central aperture of the pan 4. The shell 6 has inwardly pressed portions l which, as will be understood from the dotted lines in Fig. 2, form a corrugated outer face, the corrugations being of greatest depth at the bottom and tapering toward the top as shown in Fig. 1. The member 6 is open at the upper end and terminates at about the same level as the upper edge of the pan 4 and into this member 6 extends the cone shaped distributor ll which may be of substantially solid form as shown in section in Fig. 1 and formed with an integral flange l2. In Fig. 3, the distributor is shown as having another form of head adaptable for use which consists of a metal shell l3 attached as by means of a screw H to the lower end of the cast stem I on the hub l6. Whatever form of head is utilized, it is secured to the shaft H of the motor indicated generally at l8.

The motor is housed in the upper cylindrical portion of a hollow casting or housing l9 and a plate 20 is supported on an inturned flange 2| of the housing IS. The member I9 is cylindrical in form and the integral peripheral portion or skirt 22 extends outwardly from the bottom of the flanged portion 2| and has a number of apertures 23 therethrough. This integral portion 22 has a depending cylindrical portion or flange 24 formed with a seat against which the periphery of the plate 25 is secured by screws 26. The cylindrical portion 24 extends to below the said seat and at its lower end has a plate 21 secured thereto by the screws 28. The plate 25 is spaced below the portion 2| of the upper cylindrical portion l9 and the plate 21 is likewise spaced horizontally below the plate 25. In the space between the plate 25 and the plate 21 secured to the bottom edge of the portion IQ of the motor housing is a fan having the radial blades 30. The plates 25 and 21 each have a central aperture 3| and 32 respectively and, by rotation of the fans, air is forced through the structure as hereinafter described. The plate 21 has an outwardly and downwardly extending peripheral skirt portion 33 practically aligned with the wall 24 and an air inlet conduit 34 is provided in the lowermost portion of the cast member. By rotation of the fan, air is drawn through the inlet and through the sheet of liquid being discharged by the distributor flange l2 and through the aperture 32 to the fan 30 and thence through the aperture 3| to the fan 29 and discharging through the apertures 23 to the interior of a sheet metal shell 35 which is spaced from the upper cylindrical portion I9 housing the motor. The shell 35 has an opening at 36'' to atmosphere or to an enclosed space as may be desired.

The operation of this device is as follows:

When the motor is in operation, the fans and the distributor head I l are rotated, which causes water to flow along the outer and under surface of the flange I2 or l3 of the distributor radially outwardly and this outwardly flowing liquid film strikes the inclined plate 33 and tends to fall N downward therefrom in a vertical plane into the water in the pan 4. The air from the inlet passes through this vertical film and the horizontal film from the distributor beneath the plate 21 to which radial baiiles 36 are secured and then passes to a fan 30 where it is further baflled by the blades and by stationary baflles 31 attached to the plate 25, thence to the opening 3| of the plate 25 to the second fan and through the apertures 23 in the space between the shell 35 and the upper cylindrical wall of the housing IS. A screen is attached to the outer ends of the batlle 36 to prevent pieces of cloth, lint etc., from entering the fans. In the space between the wall and shell is provided an inwardly inclined sheet of metal formed with louvers 38 which are inwardly inclined and against which the air impinges prior to passing' Any moisture rethrough the apertures 39. maining in the air on reaching the louver plate or cone will tend to flow down the plate and into a recess on the upper side of the member 22 which has an upwardly extending peripheral flange 40 to receive the shell 35 and the louver plate. The recess has openings spaced peripherally of the recess 4| at the bottom which leads to the exterior face of the wall member 24 and any water flowing into the said recess will flow down theouter surface of the wall and over the flange 33 of the plate 21 from whence it tends, to fall by gravity into the pan.

Also, any water discharged into the compartment carrying the fans 30 may pass through grooves 55 in the bottom edge of the wall 24 providing apertures between the bottom of the wall 24 and the plate 2'! and flow onto the flange 33 and there are also apertures 56 in the plate 5| through which any water discharged into the compartment for the fan 35 may pass downward onto the plate 21 and thence through the apertures or grooves 55.

By this arrangement, air passing through the device from the inlet passes through a vertical curtain of water flowing off the lower edge of the inclined flange 33 of the plate 21 and" then must pass upward through the horizontal sheet of Water passing off of the distributor flange and thence, as before stated, through the fan blades and baflles to the outlet. Thus the air stream ,is caused to pass through two sheets of water produced by the rotor and by the drip from the louver plate 38 and any foreign particles car'- ried by the air stream are discharged into the sheets of water and accumulate in the pan 4 and any foreign particles that may possibly be carried up into the fan are caused to deposit onto the plates 25 or 21 and to wash back into the pan by water that may tend to accumulate on the plates.

The receptacle l in which the pan 4 is mounted has an exterior rim 2 substantially as shown and the lower edge 42 of the casting terminates below the lower edge of the portion 24 thereof and is grooved to receive a gasket 43. The gasket is engaged by the rim 2 of the receptacle I by a clamping element indicated generally at 44 which is pivoted to the lower circular like portion 42 of the casting. There are three such elements 44 in the arrangement here shown and these are pivoted at 45 to brackets 46 and to these pivoted levers 44 is pivotally secured an element 41 having a hook end 48 engaging beneath' the rim 2 of the receptacle.

With the parts shown in position in Fig. 1, the receptacle is clamped tightly to the'lower part of the motor and fan housing or casting. There are also a series of three legs 49 which are secured to the casting and having a slot 30 through which the clamping element 41 extends. When the levers are turned to the dotted position, the hook members are released which permits removal of the receptacle and its contents. This permits ready cleaning of receptacle including the pan 4 which is also removably mounted within the receptacle.

The legs 49 are secured at their upperends to the casting and are so formed as to normally tend to spring outwardly as indicated by dotted lines at the left side of Fig. 1. The bottom end of the lever 44 is eccentrically mounted in' its bracket so thatwhen the lever is in the dotted open position the legs may swing outwardly and when turned to full line position the eccentric \end of tlrelever brings the legs to the full line \position. When the legs are in the dotted line position, the member I and pan 4 therein may be readily removed.

In the structure shown, the device is portable and may be used to condition the air of a room or it may be used both as a vacuum cleaner and air purifier, the vacuum cleaner connection (not here shown) being attachable to the inlet 34.-

gether with the distributor discharging a sheet of water in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane through both of which the air is required to pass when passing to the fans, the arrangement being simple and compact and inexpensive for an article of this class.

It is believed from the foregoing description, that the several objects and novel features of the invention are secured by the structure described.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. In an air cleaning device, a housing having an upper cylindrical portion for the support of a motor, and a lower depending portion of greater diameter, an outer shell in spaced relation with said cylindrical portion of the housing, a plate secured at its periphery to the said lower depending portion and spaced from the portion housing the motor and a second plate in spaced relation below the first plate and secured to the housing, said plates each having a central opening therein and each of the plates having a series of radial blades, a pair of fan elements in vertically spaced relation, one having blades running in the space between the lower end of the cylindrical portion of the motor housing and the first named plate and the other having blades running in the space between the said plates, the housing having an air inlet, a receptacle for liquid covering the lower end of the housing, a rotary distributor having a con/ed portion extending into the liquid and a peripheral flange that air entering the inlet must pass through the spray beneath the first plate, thence to the first fan and thence through the second plate and the second fan, the housing for the motor element having an outlet for air, an inclined and apertured baffle plate in the space between the outer and inner motor housing elements, the said plates and baffles thereon preventing rotation of the air body by the fan, and means whereby rotation of the liquid body by rotation of the distributor is prevented.

2. In an air cleaning apparatus, a portable member comprising a housing having a cylindrical portion at its upper end and a second offset cylindrical portion of greater diameter therebelow, and further having a third and terminal cylindrical portion of greater diameter than the said second cylindrical portion, a motor in said first cylindrical portion of the housing, a closure for the lower end of said first cylindrical portion of the housing, a fan means in said second cylindrical portion comprising a pair of verticallyspaced fan elements, a pair of stationary plates having central apertures, one of said plates being between the fan elements and the other below the lowermost fan element, a series of radial baffles on each of said plates terminating adjacent the central opening of the respective plate and providing a means tending to prevent a; rotation of the air stream through revolution of the fan elements, there being apertures provided in the portion of the housing between the said first and second cylindrical portions, 2. distributor rotatable by the motor and positioned below the baflles of the lower stationary plates, said distributor having a coned end portion and a horizontal flange element below the battles of said lower stationary plate, a liquid receptacle detachably secured to said third cylindrical portion, the distributor discharging liquid in sheet form from the said distributor flange in a substantially horizontal plane, the said distributor flange being of a diameter less than the diameter of the second cylindrical portion housing the fans, an air inlet member including a conduitlike portion in the said third portion of the housing for directing air downwardly into the receptacle, a cylindrical member enclosing the upper cylindrical portion of the housing providing a chamber thereabout, the said chamber having an air outlet, bafile means in the said chamber, the arrangement providing that air flowing through the inlet passes through the liquid sheet from the distributor, thence through the fan and plate arrangement to the said chamber and against said balile means therein whereby any liquid remaining in the air may collect on the baflle and flow downwardly to the lower part of the baflle casing, there being apertures provided at the periphery of the stationary plates through which liquid may flow downwardly into the receptacle and through which liquid the air stream; flows in passing to the fan.

3. In an air cleaning device, a member having at its upper end, a cylindrical housing providing a support for a motor, a depending skirt of greater diameter connected therewith by an apertured wall and having a vertical cylindrical flange extending upwardly from its upper surface to receive said housing, and a lower depending cylindrical flange, a sheet metal shell supported by said upwardly extending flange and. enclosing the cylindrical motor housing, a pair of spaced plates supported by the said lower cylindrical flange of the housing each having central apertures, radial blades positioned on the lower surface of each of the said plates, a radial bladed fan in the space between the plates and a second radial bladed fan between the upper plate and the lower end of the cylindrical motor housing, a pan for liquid secured to the bottom of said member and being of greater diameter than said lower depending flange of the said motor housing supporting the plates, said lower depending flange of the motor housing to which the pan is connected having an inlet for air and the sheet metal shell about the motor housing having an outlet for air, a coned louvre plate in the space between the motor housing and the sheet metal shell, the flange supporting the said shell having apertures opening exteriorly of the lower depending flange of the motor housing supporting the plates, a liquid distributor driven by the motor and extending into the liquid in the receptacle whereby, through rotation, liquid from the receptacle is discharged in a radial film beneath the lower stationary plate of the said pair of plates, thearrangement providing that air passing into the ,inlet passes through said radial film and through the plate and fan arrangement into the space between the motor housing and surrounding sheet metal shell and air passing through the said film having the major portion of liquid particles separated from the flowing stream by the louvered plate to pass through the said aperture in said shell supporting flange and return to the receptacle.

JOHN SCHURY. 

